Baked Chocolate Donuts

It’s Monday, how about a some donuts and a little chit chat…shall we?

I’m not sure I’ve ever been so happy to say it’s Monday. Today is the start of a week that’s going to be pretty crazy/exciting/happy/busy around here. To start- the hubs comes home this week! He’s at the very end of a long job change (within the ARMY) and has been gone for the last four months. We get him back very soon. No matter how long he’s gone, it’s always too long.

However, I won’t actually be home when he gets home…remember that trip back to Duncan Hines I told you about? Well that’s this week too! I can’t wait to share the weekend with you guys. Lots of awesome food bloggers, all of last years winners, this year’s winners, and some special guests. Toss us all in a state of the art Duncan Hines test kitchen and you’ve got yourself a SWEET party! I wish I could pack you all up in my suit case and take you along, but since there’s a slight weight limit and the whole no human beings in your carry on rule….I’ll have to do the next best thing. Share it as we go! I’ll be sure to post about the trip once I get back but if you would like to follow along while all the fun is happening be sure to follow MBC on Twitter, Instagram, and/or Facebook where I’ll be keeping you guys up on the fun!

OK, enough chit chat let’s talk donuts. Because I firmly believe we all need a little more donuts in our life. A while back I shared these yellow cake donuts with you guys, and confessed my love for my donut maker. We’re still making Saturday morning donuts and still loving them just as much. Funny thing is, we almost always make chocolate so I thought I’d better share this version!

Here’s what you’re going to need:

Chocolate Donuts
3/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Sugar
3 TBS Cocoa
1/2 TSP Baking Soda
1/4 TSP Baking Powder
1/4 TSP Salt
1/4 Cup Milk
3 TBS Vegetable Oil
1 Egg
1/2 TSP Vanilla
1/4 Cup Hot Water

Chocolate Glaze
1/4 Cup Melted butter
2TBS Cocoa
1 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 TSP Vanilla Extract
1-3 TBS Hot Water

Makes 12 small donuts.

Step 1: Turn on your donut maker. (or preheat oven to 350 and slightly grease a donut pan)

Step 2: In the bowl of an electric mixer or a large mixing bowl combined flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then add in sugar.

Step 3: Mix in milk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla mix until smooth.

Step 4: Slowly stir in hot water until completely combines. Batter will be thin.

Step 5: Fill a piping bag with your batter. A round tip will be helpful, but I love to use Wilton’s new batter tip. You can read more info on that tip here. It allows you to squeeze out batter without it dripping at all – mess free!

Step 6: Lightly grease your donut maker (or donut pan). Quickly squeeze batter into each cavity until full. Donuts will begin to bake and rise so you’ll want to work quickly. If your a bit slow you can always fill just half the cavities at a time.

Step 7: Let them bake in donut maker for 7 minutes (add a few extra minutes if baking in the oven).

Step 8: Gently pop them out with a fork, lay them on a wire rack to cool. Repeat steps 6-8 until your batter is gone.

Step 9: In a small bowl mix together cocoa and powdered sugar. Add in melted butter and vanilla then stir until fully combined.

Step 10: Slowly add in hot water one TBS at a time until you get a nice dipping consistency.

Step 11: Dip cooled donuts into the glaze and place back on the cooling rack, it helps to place a piece of wax paper underneath to contains the mess. (oops I forgot!)

I normally dip half my donuts first and then add sprinkles, then repeat with the second half. The glaze needs a few moments to “harden” and then the sprinkles stay right where you put them without sliding off. But if you wait too long they won’t stick at all! So half and half works perfect for me. :)

I totally forgot the wax paper this time but hey, if I gotta clean a mess I’ll take a pretty mess like this any day! Sprinkles and chocolate…if only all messes were this pretty, I would love cleaning!

Fresh baked chocolate donuts…I’m just not sure there’s a better way to start a Saturday, or Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday….you get the point. :)